Comments on: Online during a power outage with the following equipment #sandyhttps://blog.adafruit.com/2012/10/30/online-in-sandy/
electronics, open source hardware, hacking and more...Fri, 31 Jul 2015 14:29:52 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.2By: Shrikehttps://blog.adafruit.com/2012/10/30/online-in-sandy/comment-page-1/#comment-46050
Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:07:11 +0000http://www.adafruit.com/blog/?p=43880#comment-46050Please do a proper writeup/tutorial of this setup when you get everything up and running again.

So that we can all prepare a system like that for future blackouts. All that built into a snappy case would be awesome.

]]>By: Andyhttps://blog.adafruit.com/2012/10/30/online-in-sandy/comment-page-1/#comment-45233
Wed, 31 Oct 2012 18:45:39 +0000http://www.adafruit.com/blog/?p=43880#comment-45233Becky – Is it correct to assume you own two deep-cycle batteries? It sounds like you hauled one to a friends’ location who has power?

Also, to the PowerPole guys – I have been searching for a place to source a decent deep-cycle charger that can have PowerPole connectors added without cutting nonreplacable cables. Any recommendations? Most deep-cycle chargers I have seen have fixed non-replacable cables with battery clamps on the end – I’m somewhat nervous about clipping these off to replace with a PowerPole. The only chargers I’ve found with removable charging cables (which I can replace with a PowerPole adapter) are fairly low amperage. (My current PowerPole-enabled charger is only 1.5A.)

]]>By: Mr.Overkillhttps://blog.adafruit.com/2012/10/30/online-in-sandy/comment-page-1/#comment-45203
Wed, 31 Oct 2012 11:30:14 +0000http://www.adafruit.com/blog/?p=43880#comment-45203But that deep cycle battery and inverter system is not very efficient! you are wasting a lot of energy by stepping 12V up to 120V and then stepping back down to whatever voltages the devices each need! you could increase that efficiency buy using individual regulators running directly off the battery to each device. chances are most devices need less than 12V anyway! and by using LED bulbs you could save even more energy! as it looks like you have a clamp on 120V work light there! I mean you have access to everything you need! still way to go! wahooOO
]]>By: Doughttps://blog.adafruit.com/2012/10/30/online-in-sandy/comment-page-1/#comment-45175
Wed, 31 Oct 2012 04:34:16 +0000http://www.adafruit.com/blog/?p=43880#comment-45175Glad y’all are making it through ok.
Seeing how you are handling your power needs just created a shopping list….
]]>By: Seanhttps://blog.adafruit.com/2012/10/30/online-in-sandy/comment-page-1/#comment-45169
Wed, 31 Oct 2012 03:07:41 +0000http://www.adafruit.com/blog/?p=43880#comment-45169@chuckz – Unfortunately, you’re stuck with the Generator. We can get away with this because modern electronics has gone low current, low voltage. When you start running refrigerators, you start needing banks of deep-cycle batteries and a kilowatt or two worth of solar panels.

If you search online, there are people who’ve converted Toyota Prius vehicles to be whole-house UPS systems for use in Florida. More expensive than the generator…

The Amateur Radio ARES community requires emergency power and Anderson Powerpole connectors can pass high amounts of current and clip together with a built-in dovetail to maintain polarity and not be accidentally hooked up backwards. If you need to pass more current than two contact sets will handle, you can gang even more together into four or six contact polarized connectors using the dovetail slots.

The RC Aircraft, Helicopter and Car community has to an extent, standardized on Deans Connectors for high current contacts on LiPo battery packs. Like the Anderson Powerpole connectors, you have a simple to use, polarized contact set that cannot be fumbled together backwards in operation.

With both these systems, you have reliable, high current power supply hookup that lets you concentrate on keeping the batteries charged and not worrying about hooking up with reverse polarity and destroying your emergency equipment or your combined $1000 of receivers, servos and other equipment the average 47% scale aircraft uses currently. (Or your emergency equipment when you realize those Li-Po batteriess need to be repurposed in an emergency.

]]>By: x3n0xhttps://blog.adafruit.com/2012/10/30/online-in-sandy/comment-page-1/#comment-45167
Wed, 31 Oct 2012 02:48:56 +0000http://www.adafruit.com/blog/?p=43880#comment-45167I feel bad for all of you guys out there! This is just one of the many reasons preparedness is so important! You never know where or when a crazy storm like this will hit!
]]>By: Chuckzhttps://blog.adafruit.com/2012/10/30/online-in-sandy/comment-page-1/#comment-45164
Wed, 31 Oct 2012 02:31:23 +0000http://www.adafruit.com/blog/?p=43880#comment-45164We used our neighbor’s generator to power our fridge for 3 hours after the power was off for 12 hours. And our neighbor up the street was using the neighbor’s generator to power and charge their child’s medical equipment.

Would it be worth it to power a fridge?

]]>By: KA1OShttps://blog.adafruit.com/2012/10/30/online-in-sandy/comment-page-1/#comment-45154
Tue, 30 Oct 2012 22:12:20 +0000http://www.adafruit.com/blog/?p=43880#comment-45154Excellent example of auxiliary power that many people forget: Car batteries. In a disaster car batteries are often a reliable, readily available source of emergency power in urban areas. In California, many ham radio operators supporting emergency communications pack car battery clips so that they could keep their rigs powered.